Machine especially for harvesting leaf vegetables

Abstract

A machine for harvesting and boxing leaf vegetables cultivated in greenhouses, comprises a main frame ( 11 ) holding a front cutting bar, first and second moving belts ( 21, 22 ) for transferring the product longitudinally from the cutting bar towards the rear, and a platform supporting workers and a number of pallets of boxes. At least one transporter ( 23 ) is provided at the rear of the machine and positioned transversally to the forward direction of the machine, and designed to receive the product from the second moving belt and to deposit the product in the boxes. An operating group ( 30 ) comprising the front cutting bar ( 20 ), the first and second moving belts ( 21, 22 ) and the at least one transporter ( 23 ) can be moved with a secondary frame between a central position and a protruding lateral position from at least one side relative to the main frame.

1. A machine for the harvesting and boxing of products, in particular leaf vegetables cultivated in greenhouses, the machine comprising:
 a main frame supporting a front cutting bar; 
 a means for collecting and transferring a product longitudinally towards a rear portion of the machine such that the product is transferred from said cutting bar to a box, said box receiving the product, said main frame being mounted to tracks or wheels, said main frame having a power unit connected thereto, said cutting bar being a belt or an alternating blade; 
 a platform connected to said main frame at the rear of the machine for holding workers and a number of pallets of boxes; 
 a secondary frame associated with said main frame, said secondary frame traversing a forward direction of movement of the machine, said secondary frame being mounted for movement such that said secondary frame moves from a central position and a protruding lateral position, said secondary frame laterally protruding from one side of said main frame when said secondary frame is in said protruding lateral position; 
 a transporter located at the rear portion of the machine, said transporter traversing said forward direction of the machine, said transporter receiving the product from said means for collecting and transferring the product and loading the product into the box for receiving the product, said transporter being supported on said secondary frame, said front cutting bar, said means for collecting and transferring the product and said transporter defining an operating group, said secondary frame moving in a direction transverse to the main frame between said central position and said protruding lateral position via a rotating means, wherein said secondary frame moves with said operating group in said direction transverse to said main frame between said central position and said protruding lateral position with respect to said main frame via said rotating means. 
 
   
   
     2. The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said secondary frame of said operating group moves in a direction perpendicular to said main frame when said secondary frame moves from said central position to said protruding lateral position, said secondary frame moving via a linear sliding means. 
   
   
     3. The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said main frame comprises at least one horizontal beam positioned transversely to the forward direction of the machine and said secondary frame supporting said operating group has at least one sliding arm connected to said horizontal beam. 
   
   
     4. The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said means for collecting and transferring the product from said cutting bar to said transporter comprises a first moving belt sloping backwards from a ground position towards a top position, and a second moving belt passing above said power unit located on said main frame and extending from said top position of said first moving belt to said transporter, said first moving belt having wheels or sliding blocks in contact with the ground, said wheels or sliding blocks of said first moving belt being in line with said tracks or wheels of said main frame. 
   
   
     5. A machine for the harvesting and boxing of products, in particular leaf vegetables cultivated in greenhouses, the machine comprising:
 a main frame supporting a front cutting bar; 
 a means for collecting and transferring a product longitudinally towards a rear portion of the machine such that the product is transferred from said cutting bar to a box, said box receiving the product, said main frame being mounted to tracks or wheels, said main frame having a power unit connected thereto, said cutting bar being a belt or an alternating blade; 
 a platform connected to said main frame at the rear of the machine for holding workers and a number of pallets of boxes; 
 a secondary frame associated with said main frame, said secondary frame traversing a forward direction of movement of the machine, said secondary frame being mounted for movement such that said secondary frame moves from a central position and a protruding lateral position, said secondary frame laterally protruding from one side of said main frame when said secondary frame is in said protruding lateral position; 
 a transporter located at the rear portion of the machine, said transporter traversing said forward direction of the machine, said transporter receiving the product from said means for collecting and transferring the product and loading the product into the box for receiving the product, said transporter being supported on said secondary frame, said front cutting bar, said means for collecting and transferring the product and said transporter defining an operating group, said operating group moving with said secondary frame from said central position to said protruding lateral position, said operating group mounted on said secondary frame moving a distance equal to a distance between said one wheel or track of said main frame and another wheel or track of said main frame. 
 
   
   
     6. A machine for the harvesting and boxing of products, in particular leaf vegetables cultivated in greenhouses, the machine comprising:
 a main frame supporting a front cutting bar; 
 a means for collecting and transferring a product longitudinally towards a rear portion of the machine such that the product is transferred from said cutting bar to a box, said box receiving the product, said main frame being mounted to tracks or wheels, said main frame having a power unit connected thereto, said cutting bar being a belt or an alternating blade; 
 a platform connected to said main frame at the rear of the machine for holding workers and a number of pallets of boxes; 
 a secondary frame associated with said main frame, said secondary frame traversing a forward direction of movement of the machine; 
 a transporter located at the rear portion of the machine, said transporter traversing said forward direction of the machine, said transporter receiving the product form said means for collecting and transferring the product and loading the product into the box for receiving the product, said transporter being supported on said secondary frame, said front cutting bar, said means for collecting and transferring the product and said transporter defining an operating group, said secondary frame being mounted for movement such that said secondary frame moves with said operating group from a central position and a protruding lateral position, said secondary frame laterally protruding from one side of said main frame when said secondary frame is in said protruding lateral position, said transporter being mounted for movement on said main frame such that said transporter moves in one direction when said operating group is in said central position and said transporter moves in an opposite direction when said operating group is in said protruding lateral position. 
 
   
   
     7. A machine for the harvesting and boxing of products, in particular leaf vegetables cultivated in greenhouses, the machine comprising:
 a main frame supporting a front cutting bar; 
 a means for collecting and transferring a product longitudinally towards a rear portion of the machine such that the product is transferred from said cutting bar to a box, said box receiving the product, said main frame being mounted to tracks or wheels, said main frame having a power unit connected thereto, said cutting bar being a belt or an alternating blade; 
 a platform connected to said main frame at the rear of the machine for holding workers and a number of pallets of boxes; 
 a secondary frame associated with said main frame, said secondary frame traversing a forward direction of movement of the machine, said secondary frame being mounted for movement such that said secondary frame moves from a central position and a protruding lateral position, said secondary frame laterally protruding from one side of said main frame when said secondary frame is in said protruding lateral position; 
 a transporter located at the rear portion of the machine, said transporter traversing said forward direction of the machine, said transporter receiving the product from said means for collecting and transferring the product and loading the product into the box for receiving the product, said transporter being supported on said secondary frame, said front cutting bar, said means for collecting and transferring the product and said transporter defining an operating group, said secondary frame moving in a direction transverse to the main frame between said central position and said protruding lateral position via a rotating means, wherein said operating group moves with said secondary frame from said central position to said protruding lateral position, said operating group mounted on said secondary frame moving a distance equal to a distance between said one wheel or track of said main frame and another wheel or track of said main frame. 
 
   
   
     8. A machine for the harvesting and boxing of products, in particular leaf vegetables cultivated in greenhouses, the machine comprising:
 a main frame supporting a front cutting bar; 
 a means for collecting and transferring a product longitudinally towards a rear portion of the machine such that the product is transferred from said cutting bar to a box, said box receiving the product, said main frame being mounted to tracks or wheels, said main frame having a power unit connected thereto, said cutting bar being a belt or an alternating blade; 
 a platform connected to said main frame at the rear of the machine for holding workers and a number of pallets of boxes; 
 a secondary frame associated with said main frame, said secondary frame traversing a forward direction of movement of the machine, said secondary frame being mounted for movement such that said secondary frame moves from a central position and a protruding lateral position, said secondary frame laterally protruding from one side of said main frame when said secondary frame is in said protruding lateral position; 
 a transporter located at the rear portion of the machine, said transporter traversing said forward direction of the machine, said transporter receiving the product from said means for collecting and transferring the product and loading the product into the box for receiving the product, said transporter being supported on said secondary frame, said front cutting bar, said means for collecting and transferring the product and said transporter defining an operating group, said secondary frame moving with said operating group in a direction transverse to the main frame between said central position and said protruding lateral position via a rotating means, wherein said transporter is mounted for movement on said main frame such that said transporter moves in one direction when said operating group is in said central position and said transporter moves in an opposite direction when said operating group is in said protruding lateral position.